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Carotenoid-based colour expression is determined early in nestling life

Fitze, Patrick ; Tschirren, Barbara ; Richner, Heinz

In: Oecologia, 2003, vol. 137, no. 1, p. 148-152

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    Titre
    • Carotenoid-based colour expression is determined early in nestling life
    Auteur
    • Fitze, Patrick. Institute of Zoology, Evolutionary Ecology Division, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
    • Tschirren, Barbara. Institute of Zoology, Evolutionary Ecology Division, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
    • Richner, Heinz. Institute of Zoology, Evolutionary Ecology Division, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:317333
    Summary
    Carotenoid-based colours are widespread in animals and are used as signals in intra- and interspecific communication. In nestling birds, the carotenoids used for feather pigmentation may derive via three pathways: (1) via maternal transfer to egg yolk; (2) via paternal feeds early after hatching when females are mainly brooding; or (3) via feeds from both parents later in nestling life. We analysed the relative importance of the proposed carotenoid sources in a field experiment on great tit nestlings (Parus major). In a within-brood design we supplemented nestlings with carotenoids shortly after hatching, later on in the nestling life, or with a placebo. We show that the carotenoid-based colour expression of nestlings is modified maximally during the first 6 days after hatching. It reveals that the observed variation in carotenoid-based coloration is based only on mechanisms acting during a short period of time in early nestling life. The experiment further suggests that paternally derived carotenoids are the most important determinants of nestling plumage colour